CATTLE. 



DAIRY CATTLE. Figure 72 shows the general form of a 

 good dairy cow, an animal in which the end desired is to give 

 as large an amount as possible of rich milk at the least cost 

 for food. Contrast the outlines of this animal with the one 

 shown in figure 70. As a rule, the large dairy herds are com- 



Fig. 72. Parts of a model dairy cow. 



posed of grade cows ; these are the offspring of pure-bred sires 

 and common dams. There is an old saying, " The sire is half 

 the herd." This is illustrated in the following table of the 

 offspring of a pure-bred sire and of a common (scrub) sire : 



Pure-bred sire. 

 Common cows or dams. 



1. Grades, one-half pure. 



2. Three-quarters pure. 



3. Seven-eighths pure. 



Common (scrub) sire. 

 Pure-bred cows or dams. 



1. Grades, one-half pure. 



2. One-quarter pure. 



3. One-eighth pure (scrub). 



This statement means that in the first case we start with a 

 herd of common cows and a pure-bred sire. The first genera- 

 tion of calves will all be grades, one-half pure-bred. The 

 calves of these and the pure-bred sire will all be three-quarters 

 pure-bred, and their calves will be seven-eighths pure-bred. 



